in an effort to get my life back together...

I'm going to try to post something funny or weird from the babies every day once a week? Let's be honest.

First though, I LOVE my new co-teacher. We often interrupt each other to say the same thing. We are literally of the same mind and it makes every day just so much fun. Also, she makes me laugh.

Ok, now for the funny babies --

Me: What is this?

Student: A comma.

Me: Right. And what do we use it for?

Student: We use commas because they are commas and we really should use them because we like them and they are commas.


Perfection.

october, the doomed month

I  writing finally at the end of October to say that the past month, and especially the past week have been the most difficult since I've started teaching. 

I have a child, Clifford, whose mother was removed from his home by ACS after he came to school with burns on his body. 

I have a child who regularly hits, scratches, bites, and slaps. 

I have a child who, at 6 years old, is doing kindergarten again. Last week he told me he was trying to pull his teeth out because he wants to die. 

I am just completely spent. My colleagues are supportive. My school has lots of resources. I'm thankful for where I work. But. I. Am. Exhausted. 

Here's to a new month, and hopefully a new era in Wellesley. 

day 9

"Ms. Haley, I'm changing my name. My name isn't going to be Zoe any more. It's Superwoman."


In other news, this management-without-colors is a handful. All of the sudden I need to be really creative all the time. Literally, the way that I am handling children is exactly the opposite of what I was doing before. TFA was all children-listen-no-excuses. Now, I'm like, "Oh, you shouldn't jump down the stairs because it's dangerous." And of course, a color change is a lot more convincing to a five year old than danger.

Frankly, I am really struggling - this is hell for a perfectionist.

year 3, t-1

Although I'm just about halfway to veteran status, tomorrow is going to bring a lot of firsts: my first day at my new school, my first day as a co-teacher, and my first day teaching the 28 lovelies who will call our classroom home for the next year.

I am so calm that I am worried about how calm I am. I cannot believe what a difference it makes to have a school, a principal, and a whole team who supports you.

Here are what I presume to be my biggest challenges this year:

1. Co-teaching. My co-teacher, Mrs. B (you should know that our names rhyme and its totally cute), is amazing. If I could have picked anyone to teach with she would have been one of my first choices. But co-teaching, no matter who you are paired with, is really hard. I have a lot to learn about sharing my physical and mental space with another adult for 10 hours a day.
2. Management. Jokes? No, I'm serious. I am a master of what I would call Tier 2 management. Tier 1 is kiddos running wild, so Tier 2 is perfect order and organization, BUT it's entirely teacher directed. Kids know how to get in line because you assigned a line order so they don't even need to think to do it. Tier 3 is what my school (and I) are aiming for: children get in line because they understand social rules and they are caring enough to allow their friends to find a spot. No line spots. Hard work, big payoff. I'm going for growing good humans this year! 
3. Not losing myself. For the past two years, I've developed opinions. Now, I'm around a whole bunch of other smart people who also have opinions. My first instinct is to defer to the experts. I have to keep reminding myself that sometimes I am also the expert. Tricky. 
4. Going paperless. I traded in the SexyFlexy for an iPad. My goal is to keep my life organized on a tablet instead of a notebook. I actually think that it allows for more powerful organization. If you are at all interested in hearing about how I am managing, please hit me up!
5. Learning 250 names. 'Nough said. 

On Friday, a colleague said to me that he taught for 7 years before joining our team, and he learned more in one year at my new school that he had learned in all of the other years combined.

Get ready, Wellesley Waves!

updates are necessary

Let's start with the part where I work at a new school now. In New York. That I LOVE.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ln8K3Lh1Iw

reasons why my new job is amazing

1. We have a nurse practitioner on site every day during school hours who will work out of a real exam room to diagnose and treat students. Once a week a pediatrician will also be in the building. 
2. Said NP and Pediatrician work out of a clinic committed to serving our kids through high school. 
3. Today when tech gave me a hard time about my laptop the woman in charge of tech went and fixed it for me and then made me swear that next time I would let her handle it so that I wouldn't have to deal with any of the stress. 
4. My health, dental, and vision is completely covered through benefits. And the company matches mt retirement contributions. 

Like so many other cities (New York City, Detroit, and Philadelphia to name a few) we have no teacher shortages.  We have teacher surpluses.  And yet, TFA is still placing first year novice corps members in places like Chicago. To put it bluntly, the last thing our students undergoing mass school closings, budget cuts, and chaotic school policy need is short-term, poorly-trained novices.  Teach for America is not needed in Chicago.  Teach for America is not needed in most places.

http://atthechalkface.com/2013/06/30/an-open-letter-to-new-teach-for-america-recruits/